Tom1200
Tom1200 HalfDork
1/7/19 9:22 p.m.

Can anyone give me a rough price of what I should expect if I have my van repainted? Note it's white.

 

here is the deal; I have a 1990 Ford E250 Camper Van. The clear coat on the decals is peeling bit the rest of the paint is OK. I don't car about repai ting the fiberglass cap portion of the van  as it's in OK shape.

 

ddavidv
ddavidv PowerDork
1/8/19 6:15 a.m.

MAACO is your only economical choice. Repainting a vehicle exterior is usually $3000 and up. A van is massive, so it would be more. Plus the cost of removing the existing decals.

John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
1/8/19 6:31 a.m.

If I'm reading correctly you have a decal problem (not a paint problem) that you hope to solve with paint. 

Could it be that new vinyl applied over the old decal or in place of the removed decal could be the economical answer? 

Hard to say w/o pics.

ebonyandivory
ebonyandivory PowerDork
1/8/19 6:43 a.m.

I’d look into renting a booth and doing it myself.

Depending on how far you take it, the costs could be a few hundred for self-prep and paint or several thousand to let others do it.

The van is a huge, mostly flat white billboard. Probably the best first-time painter vehicle ever.

A 401 CJ
A 401 CJ GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/8/19 7:41 a.m.
ddavidv said:

MAACO is your only economical choice. Repainting a vehicle exterior is usually $3000 and up. A van is massive, so it would be more. Plus the cost of removing the existing decals.

 

3000 and up!?  Gosh I’m old.  When I was in high school the going rate was $300.  I had a brilliant plan to quit high school and start painting cars for a living.  Dad talked me out of it with one word: no.

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
1/8/19 7:45 a.m.
A 401 CJ said:
ddavidv said:

MAACO is your only economical choice. Repainting a vehicle exterior is usually $3000 and up. A van is massive, so it would be more. Plus the cost of removing the existing decals.

 

3000 and up!?  Gosh I’m old.  When I was in high school the going rate was $300.  I had a brilliant plan to quit high school and start painting cars for a living.  Dad talked me out of it with one word: no.

I graduated high school in 2000, and even then a crummy Maaco job was still $300.

Stanger2000
Stanger2000 Reader
1/8/19 9:12 a.m.

In reply to z31maniac :

Ah yes, the good 'ole 'Presidential Special'.  

It all boils down to the prep work though, if you're willing to do some of that it can help keep the costs down and the respray can look decent.  At least on a van like that you prob don't have to worry so much about the roof since you won't see it unless driving along side it in a semi or one of those brodozers.

NOHOME
NOHOME UltimaDork
1/8/19 9:54 a.m.

I would learn to love what you have.

 

A paint job of sufficient quality to make you feel like it is worth it, is going to exceed the value of the Van.

 

Body shops charge by the hour and around here the rate is about $85/hour. So picture how long it would take to just run a sander of over the van to the point where it is good enough to paint. then multiply that by $85 That would not include any  component removal/replacement, masking, materials or ding repairs. My guess for a nice base-clear ( far from show) paint job on a van that needed no rust repair would be around 10k.

 

You could probably come 80% of the way for $500- $1000 in your driveway using single stage  paint.

 

Pete

RevRico
RevRico GRM+ Memberand UberDork
1/8/19 10:01 a.m.

That is a LOT of sanding. Paying for it wouldn't be financially worth it, doing it yourself could take weeks if you have a job/family/life. I would seriously consider vinyl wrap instead. 

 

jimbbski
jimbbski Dork
1/8/19 10:50 a.m.

I had a '88 E-250 extended window van that I started to repaint. The biggest issue I had was that I didn't have a garage big enough to actually drive it in to.

If you choose a color that is solid and not a metallic, you mentioned it was white so that makes it easy, you can paint it in sections if you use a single stage paint.

You can do a base coat/clear coat as well. 

I purchased my paint from an on line vendor that only sold auto paints and supplies.

The cost for paint and stuff to do a van would run between $300-400 depending on what you want.

A do it your self job shouldn't run more then $500 tops for all materials.

The majority of the work required is the time spend doing surface prep. and masking.

The actually spraying of the paint and clear coat, if used, is really the easy part.

 

IF you don't want to or can't do the work yourself then  a vinyl wrap is the cheaper way to go.

Look at shops that do trucks and trailers as the're used to doing large pieces.

 

 

 

No Time
No Time Dork
1/8/19 11:47 a.m.

Depending on your goals, maybe try the local Voc school?

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy UltimaDork
1/8/19 11:51 a.m.

My buddy painted an old carpenter van with a roller and house paint. 

Looked good, far away.  

_
_ Reader
1/8/19 1:47 p.m.

$300 in white plastidip gets you where you want to be, peels off on demand, is applied by any teenager with angst, can have decals and doodles put on it, is easily repaired, protects what paint is left with a coating, can get you high if you leave the garage door shut, and is available at any Lowe’s/depot. 

californiamilleghia
californiamilleghia Reader
1/8/19 6:07 p.m.

Ok...please don't hit me....

Chalkboard paint from Home Depot.,.,...

No Time
No Time Dork
1/8/19 6:45 p.m.

In reply to californiamilleghia :

 

Tom1200
Tom1200 HalfDork
1/8/19 8:56 p.m.

OK the Beetle is cool but it might be a bit out there for me. 

The deal here is I don't want to spend the time doing this. I'd be willing to go up wards of $1000 but no more than that. 

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